14 days & counting...

Time flies when you are having fun! It has been a busy 5 weeks since coming home from Virginia Tech. It has been an interesting summer. Since this lovely economy made it impossible to find an internship I have been working a couple of different random jobs. Not being able to get an internship has actually given me even more comfort in knowing that God has called me to go to Australia.

I guess I better fill you in on how I came to the decision to go to Australia. The past couple of years I have heard about summer projects, including Australia, from friends. Sophomore year over spring break I got to experience my first true evangelistic mission trip to Venezuela. Most of what I had done in middle & high school was service oriented. For this Spring Break trip we visited different colleges in Venezuela and ministered to the students there. The fruit was definitely ripe! Seeing people understand Christ's message & accept his love is indescribable. This trip really showed me the need for people to spread the gospel.

Coming into junior year I thought that I had the whole year planned out. I would be taking my interior design classes, lead a Bible study and going about my normal business. In the summer I would get an interior design internship. I think Gods probably laughs when I make my plans because He knows that I can never imagine what is actually in my future. The first of my semester was that I was challenged with being on the servant team and co-lead Bridges (international outreach). I didn't see myself as a leader and typically follow someone else, I thought that leading a Bible study was going to be my challenge this year. To be honest, I was shocked to be asked, but accepted. This experience has taught me how to rely on God's strength, because without him nothing would have come out of any of our planning and events. At times it seemed impossible to do my best in studio & classes, invest in my Bible study planning and girls, be passionate about reaching international students and work with the Bridges team and tend to my own walk. I think my roommates can attest to the fact that there were times when I was just run down with no down time. Christ showed me that nothing is impossible. Philippians 4:13 kinda became my motto for these moments. I learned so much, too much to bore you with details. Lets just simplify it to say that my eyes were opened to the amazing people who surrounded me, we were blessed with a wonderful Bridges team who I was able to delegate to & trust and I became more confident-I grew.

 

Now comes the Australia part. Like I stated before, I had heard about summer project from friends for the past couple of years. At Radiate (Christmas conference in DC) I attended a summer project talk, afterwards I thought about Australia but then remembered it wasn't in the plan...I had to get a summer internship. When the four Aussie students came to VT for their summer project I was able to learn more about their culture and ministry. I was developing a heart for Australia. I kept thinking about project and after talking with some friends & Bible study leader decided to go ahead and apply and see where it went from there. As the economy declined I was secretly excited, because this might allow me to go on summer project (not to say I did not try to get an internship). And as you know, I'm going! and in 14 days too.

<3>